The Tumour Bank
The Tumour Bank at The Children's Hospital at Westmead focuses only on childhood cancer research.
It has appropriate approvals from the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network Human Research Ethics Committee to collect, store and distribute tissue, blood, bone marrow, urine, saliva samples and relevant clinical information of patients who may have cancer.
The Tumour Bank provides these samples to a researcher if their project has ethical and scientific approvals.
Being asked to donate tumour, blood or bone marrow specimens
Donating your child's biological samples to cancer research can help increase knowledge of cancer. It can contribute to the development of knowledge about cancer risk, treatment, prevention and ultimately a cure.
Scientists need human tissue to learn how cancer behaves as the disease progresses through the body. Samples allow them to see how cancer tissue compares to normal tissue, and what genes and processes are involved in making normal cells become cancerous and spread.
Only then can new drugs and therapies and new diagnostic tests be developed, with the goal of earlier detection and treatment with fewer side effects.
Even if a patient doesn't have cancer, leftover tissue donated from an operation, biopsy or pathology test could benefit cancer research.
Legal and ethical procedures
The Tumour Bank has a legal and ethical responsibility to ask for your permission to use your child's tissue in medical research.
They are also required to provide you with all the information you need to make your decision about whether you and/or your child would like to become a donor.
No extra needles and procedures needed
The Tumour Bank collects and stores leftover tumour specimens, bone marrow, blood and other biological samples that are collected during routine medical procedures.
Extra blood, urine, bone marrow or other biological specimens would only be collected when routine tests are ordered by your child's doctor.